It’s 3:00 am, would you want Eminem to pick up the mic?

It’s becoming clear to me that world of hip hop can actually survive without the presence of Marshall Mathers (that’s no saying much for the state of hip hop either). However, with Relapsea few weeks shy of its release (May 19), and the Interscope machine (aka. Jimmy Iovine) grinding hard on the marketting side, I can’t seem to stop feeling that this album is destined for failure. The combination of We Made You and 3:oo am (screenshot shown above) have not galvanized in me any significant form of excitement. Is this a sure basis for a sales prediction? I cannot make that claim. But there is a significant difference between grassroot buzz witnessed so far and the Marshall Mathers LP/Eminem Show campaigns. I could mention that “growing up” may have caused my apprehension and lack of excitement. Instead, I’ll attribute my cynicism to my belief that this album’s purpose is somewhat Jerry Bruckheimer-esque: entertainment over substance. Is there anything new that Eminem could unleash on the masses that hasn’t already been condemned by politicians and advocacy groups.

Hillary Clinton, Spice Girls, Nsync, Backstreet Boys.. I could continue but i’d be beating my point to death.

In essence: THERES NOTHING NEW HE COULD DISCUSS TO MAINTAIN OUR EXCITEMENT. But I would love to stand corrected. I’m a very big fan, but i could have done without the two subsequent releases after The Eminem Show (The Re-Up, Encore).

At this moment it seems that Dre’s production will be the only thing relevant about Marshall Bruce Mathers. Curtis Jackson? That’s another matter. wtf happened to that guy?

This essentially raises up the question of Eminem’s dominance on the sales charts come the week of May 19th. The Carter III sold 1 million copies with a solid internet following and 2.5 years of marketing. Then again, 50 Cent’s The Massacre scanned 1.14 million copies in just 4 days in a short marketing campaign.Can Eminem still compete with these numbers?

Eminem has so far released 7 major assisted albums (not counting Infinite). Is there a possibility that he’s attained the zenith of his career? Will subsequent releases just exacerbate his overexposure? Most importantly, is his past success inimical to his future prospects?